Auto News 5

I don't mind the styling of the Lincoln MKX and its corporate cousin, the Ford Edge, but the MKX doesn't really look like I expect a Lincoln to look. Instead, I see it simply as an Edge in fancy eveningwear. I think part of the problem is that, when the MXK was created, Lincoln's renaissance was just in its infancy. And even though there have been lots of new products, the brand has lacked a coherent design language until, arguably, this year. Styling cues are now shared across the MKS sedan, the MKZ sedan, the upcoming MKT seven-seat crossover, and even the C concept from this year's Detroit auto show, but the MKX is the odd man out.

When you sell as many variations of a vehicle as Ford does with the F-150, there are bound to be a couple of stinkers in the mix. This extended-cab truck with a 6.5-foot bed just isn't the best example of the 2009 F-150. I've probably driven seven different 2009 F-150s, and all of them felt better to me than this one does. Most of the other trucks were crew-cab models, so it's possible a lot of my complaints are due to the lack of a B-pillar in the cab. Overall, the truck just felt a little floppy, and there was far too much dive under braking. And the 5.4-liter V-8 is nothing to write home about.